Mountain Bike Nationals- Sun Valley, ID
Cody Cupp

I had a really good time at Nationals this year. Last year I went there super stressed out and putting way too much pressure on myself and I just ended up crashing on the first lap. This year I went there relaxed, confident, prepared and just had fun racing hard.
I got off to a pretty bad start in the cross country and ended up getting tangled up in two crashes within the first minute of the race, so I lost a lot of time and got pushed way back in the pack. I had to deal with the most chaotic traffic on every corner of the first lap but I managed to stay alive and calm and just keep riding. When I came into the first climb I think I was sitting around 50th position. I was bummed that I was in such a bad spot but I was feeling pretty strong so I just got over on the side of the course and slowly started passing other racers and making up spots. I think I was probably constantly passing for most of the first two laps. Once I finally got back up towards the front half of the race again I settled in with a group of 4 or 5 other guys. Once we were on the last lap though and came into the final climb I managed to win the sprint into the single track and ended up finishing ahead of all of them.

I would have liked to place better in the cross country but I was feeling really strong and raced well, thanks to all of Solomon’s coaching and training plans, so I’m pretty satisfied with how I did. It was really fun and I’m pretty happy to get into the top 20.

I also competed in Super D and Short Track this year as well.

I put together a really fast and run in Super D and really crushed myself on all of the climbs and pedaling spots throughout the course. Unfortunately, I had a little bobble on the last turn of the course and lost a few seconds, which may have cost me a few spots. I ended just missing the podium and placed 7th. I was really wanting to get on the podium this year and was pretty bummed that I didn’t but it was still a fun course and I really enjoyed flying down the track.

By the time I raced Short Track in Sun Valley I was so exhausted that I just road really sloppy and ended up having a dumb mechanical. Most people don’t compete in both Super D and Short Track but I thought I’d give them all a try anyways. I didn’t really have very high hopes for the Short Track so I really wasn’t very disappointed.

All in all, I had a really good experience at Nationals and had a great time riding bikes. I’m satisfied with how I did and I’m looking forward to the few races I have left this summer and the Collegiate Mountain Bike season I’ll be racing in this fall.

Squilchuck Chainsmoker & Sun Mtn. Big Ring Bash
Cody Cupp

Things have finally started to come together for me these past two weekends and I feel like I’ve really started riding fast.
        For the Chainsmoker last weekend I was just finishing up an intensity week of training so I was pretty worn out and sore but I still was able to race much better than I have all season. I was finally able to really pedal hard when I wanted to and my legs were feeling strong enough to actually exhaust all of my energy. It was definitely a very painful race but I was pretty happy with how I felt.
        There wasn’t a very big turn-out for this race, so I ended up taking 2nd in the Open/Pro category. I was sticking with the guy who ended up taking first for most of the first lap, but I hooked my front tire around a rock and ended up going over the bars so he was able to pull a ways ahead of me. I tried to catch up to him over the next 4 laps but he only pulled farther away so I spent most of the race just trying to ride smooth and keep increasing the gap between myself and the third place finisher (who was someone that I have never beat before).

I was kind of uncertain about how I would feel coming into our home race at Sun Mtn. this weekend because I rested for most of week the leading up to it so I was a little scared I would be feeling slow and sluggish but I ended up being completely wrong. I felt amazing and I was able ride faster than I ever had in my life before, and quite a few more people showed up this weekend than last so it was a good and fun race.
        I got right out in the front of the pack on the start and managed to stay there for a few minutes. People shifted around a little bit as we made our way to the technical single track on black bear but I think almost everyone in the Open/Pro category stayed together for quite a while on the first lap. It wasn’t until Winthrop Trail (the one steep climb on the course) that the pack really started to break apart. Solomon lead the charge up the climb and everyone just tried to hang onto him. Surprisingly, once we reached the top and got to some smooth fast stuff again, I was the only one left hanging onto the two leaders and I ended up sticking with them for a bit more than two of the three laps. I was so amazed I was able to hang with them as long as I did. It was so much fun to be up in the front with them and ride really fast. Unfortunately, once I dropped off of the leaders, I ended up cracking with about 10 to 20 minutes left in the race and really lost some time. The next guy back from me was able to catch me towards the end and we sprinted it out at the finish for 3rd place. He was able to beat me to line and knock me off the podium. It was disappointing but I was still really happy with how I rode.